Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 December 2016
158. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Skills the general criteria used to have a school or a group of schools included in the DEIS programme up to now and prior to the review which is due in 2017; the guidelines that were issued to assist applicants; the supporting information that was required to process an application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40551/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the underlying criteria used in 2005 for participation in DEIS was a school's relative level of disadvantage against all other schools. Schools with the highest concentration of disadvantage were selected for participation in the DEIS programme. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the programme.
At Primary level the identification for participation in DEIS was based on analysis of a survey, carried out by the Educational Research Centre (ERC), of all primary schools. This analysis identified the socio-economic variables that collectively best predict achievement, and these variables were then used to identify schools for participation in the School Support Programme. The variables involved were:
% unemployment
% local authority accommodation
% lone parenthood
% Travellers
% large families (5 or more children)
% pupils eligible for free books.
At Post Primary level the identification process was based on centrally held data on pupils from the Post Primary Database and the State Examinations Commission database, using the following criteria:
Medical card data for Junior Cert candidates;
Junior Cert retention rates;
Junior Cert exam results aggregated to school level;
Leaving Cert retention rates by school;
The identification process for DEIS was in line with international best practice and had regard to, and employed, the existing and most appropriate data sources available.
The Educational Research Centre (ERC) conducted surveys of new and amalgamated schools that were established up to September 2008. These surveys sought the same information as the original DEIS survey and the same variables were used to calculate the schools relative level of disadvantage. With the exception of two or more DEIS schools amalgamating to form a new school, no newly established school has been admitted to the DEIS programme since 2009.
As the Deputy may be aware, a process to review the DEIS Programme, which began last year is nearing completion and it is my intention to publish a new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion in the coming weeks.
Further information on the DEIS Review process is available on the Department’s website at www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/.
